Before the establishment of Mondstadt, during the era of the Archon War, the Lawrence Clan, as rebels, achieved sufficient merit to gain noble status.
However, their descendants were corrupted by desire and power, becoming the head of the aristocrats and extensively practicing slavery, leading to Mondstadt's dark era.
During that period, the Mondstadt aristocrats were largely corrupt, with the Lawrence Clan being among the most severe.
It wasn't until Vennessa raised the banner of rebellion, guided by Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, that the rule of the aristocrats was overthrown and a new order centered on the Knights of Favonius was established.
The Lawrence Clan was also disgraced, but they were not exterminated because some of their members contributed to the liberation of Mondstadt. This was why they were able to survive.
Even now, this clan is regarded by Mondstadters as a symbol of darkness, bearing almost all the sins and all the hatred.
But they are not worthy of sympathy. These surviving descendants not only failed to reflect on their ancestors' actions but continued to inherit the rules of profit from the dark era, still dreaming of restoring the clan's glory and ruling Mondstadt once again.
Eula is the last descendant of the Lawrence Clan, but unlike other members of her clan, she has no intention of restoring the clan's glory, because she knows it is wrong.
Such ideas would only make the residents of Mondstadt increasingly hostile towards the Lawrence Clan, but she has no way to change this impression deeply ingrained in the hearts of Mondstadt residents, because the harm the Lawrence Clan brought them was simply too deep.
Eula was the only anomaly in the entire clan who wanted to make a change. When she was invited to join the Knights of Favonius, she was also obstructed, because the Knights of Favonius were precisely the culprits who turned the Lawrence Clan into what it is today.
In the end, with help from various parties, Eula ultimately remained with the Knights of Favonius, but what did that matter? The residents of Mondstadt City would not change their opinion of her.
"Is that so? A descendant of a Sinner?" Durandal nodded. "Because the blood of the Sinners who once shackled Mondstadt in darkness flows within her, she is ostracized by people? I understand that feeling."
"How could you possibly understand my feelings?"
Eula didn't believe Durandal's words. Durandal and she were not on the same path. Durandal was a good person beloved by the Mondstadt people, completely incomparable to a Sinner like Eula.
"No, I can understand." Durandal repeated her earlier statement. "I know this feeling very well, but I am not a Sinner. My very existence is a mistake."
The Lawrence Clan still had a chance for restoration, but not to return to the clan of that dark period. Instead, it was to return to the Lawrence Clan from the time when they led Mondstadt's resistance against the King of the Tower.
Although such a chance was slim, with an excellent descendant like Eula, as long as the other family members didn't cause her trouble, she could completely become a member of the Lawrence Clan in a different way.
But Durandal didn't have such an opportunity. She wasn't referring to her current self; she was referring to her past self as the black plague. At that time, even if she wanted to do something, she had no way to do it.
Was she a Sinner then? Hmph, 'Sinner' wasn't even enough to describe her at that time. She was the embodiment of evil, a symbol of death. Her very existence was a mistake.
So she could understand Eula's feelings. Perhaps this was also why she was interested in Eula when she first met her.
"You…"
She didn't seem to be lying. Eula could feel the loneliness on Durandal, which couldn't be faked by acting.
What had she gone through? Eula couldn't imagine someone like Durandal being ostracized. With her abilities, no matter where she went, she should be a respected guest of officials and nobles. They would be too busy flattering her to ostracize her.
"You said your existence is a mistake. What does that mean?"
"It means exactly what it says: I shouldn't have been born, I shouldn't exist."
Durandal swung her legs, then reached out and let a bird land on her finger, saying, "I can't tell you the specific reason, but I hope you can believe that I understand your feelings."
"…I understand."
Eula couldn't help but smile. This was the first time she had shown a smile in front of an outsider, and it was to Durandal, whom she had only met twice.
She usually disguised herself with a stern expression, erecting an invisible shield to protect herself from unwarranted disaster.
Her family didn't understand why she joined the Knights of Favonius, a place that had destroyed the Lawrence Clan's glory. The residents of Mondstadt also didn't understand why she, a Sinner, would join the Knights of Favonius.
Aside from a few members of the Knights of Favonius with whom she could communicate, this was the first time she had met someone who could understand her feelings, and her mood relaxed considerably for a moment.
Having talked enough, Durandal got up to leave. Eula had a mission on Dragonspine this time, and Durandal had already delayed her for a while. Staying longer would severely impact her.
Before she walked far, Eula asked, "I am Eula Lawrence. Can you tell me your name?"
Durandal paused, then looked up slightly and said, "Durandal."
"Durandal, huh? What a strange person, to say she understands my feelings. How could that be?"
Watching Durandal's retreating figure, Eula smiled, not a fake smile, but a genuine one from the heart. She hadn't felt this way in a long time; the last time was when she was a child.
She never expected such a strange person to appear. Isn't this even stranger than Amber? She never expected there to be so many strange people; it's an eye-opener.
"Such a strange person needs to be observed carefully. As a member of the Knights of Favonius, I cannot allow such an uncertain factor to operate in the city."
Eula, the descendant of a Sinner, had her eyes on Durandal. She was very much looking forward to what kind of sparks would fly between her, a Sinner, and Durandal, who claimed her existence itself was a sin.
Durandal, after leaving Dragonspine, was about to return to Cape Oath. As she passed Windrise, she saw Jean kneeling before the largest tree, whispering something.
"Lady Vennessa, may your gaze upon Mondstadt remain clear. I wonder if the world, and I, have become stronger, as you hoped?"
She didn't know who she was asking, perhaps herself, or perhaps the Vennessa she spoke of.
In any case, her question would not be answered, just as it had never been answered when she asked here before. Only the breeze caressed her cheek.
"The world will not change." Durandal appeared behind her and said, "You also shouldn't change anything to meet anyone's expectations. You shouldn't live for someone else."
"Lady Durandal, why are you here?"
Jean looked at Durandal with some surprise, never expecting to encounter Durandal during a casual outing. Was this a coincidence?
"Just passing by, and happened to see you here. You look very tired."
Although it was deeply hidden, Durandal could clearly feel the fatigue on Jean. She didn't know how Jean managed it; ordinary people shouldn't accumulate so much pressure.
"Thank you for your concern, but my body is fine."
"I'll pretend I believe that. Why are you here? You shouldn't have much time to be outside, right?"
Normally, the information she received about Jean from the bird was that she was always in her office, working and working, as if she wanted to live there.
How could such a workaholic have time to run outside the city and come here for a prayer of unknown significance?
"Lisa asked me to. She said I was too tired and told me to rest well and not overwork myself."
Jean gave a few helpless laughs. She had originally wanted to resist, but everyone else said the same thing. Unable to do anything, she had to temporarily entrust her work to Lisa. With nothing to do, she came here.
"You are indeed tired, on the verge of your limit."
"Actually, I'm still…"
"Do you think you can fool me, human?"
Durandal's tone became slightly stern. Under Durandal's gaze, Jean lowered her head like a child who had made a mistake, silent.
She walked in front of Jean, and under Jean's gaze, placed her hand on Jean's stomach, using her clearance to draw all the fatigue from Jean's body.
It was a very large amount. The largest 'poison' she had seen before formed a ball about the size of a basketball. The fatigue absorbed from Jean's body actually formed a ball about a meter in diameter, which was quite exaggerated.
"…Do you want to die?"
"But my body is fine. I use the power of Anemo to adjust my body every time, so there shouldn't be…"
"The power of a Vision can only be used to heal physical injuries, but mental stress and pressure will not disappear. It will only accumulate slowly, eventually erupting when you can no longer bear it."
Durandal brought the ball in front of Jean and asked, "Do you know what would happen if this fatigue were placed inside someone else?"
"…What would happen?"
"People who receive this fatigue have a very high probability of dying. Even if they don't die, they will experience some kind of problem due to excessive fatigue. Do you still think you're fine now?"
"…As expected, I can't hide it from you." Jean said with a wry smile.
She truly lived up to her recent reputation in Mondstadt. When Jean learned about Durandal, she was somewhat surprised. Although Durandal controlled the clearance of 'poison,' she could heal and save people.
It seemed that Durandal's abilities were not as simple as she had thought. It was too difficult for a human to hide anything from her.
"Rest well. If you collapse, it will trigger a series of chain reactions. I mean negative ones. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you?"
"Understood."
Was this a lecture to her? Usually, she was the one doing this to Klee. She never expected to have a day when she would be lectured. This feeling was quite novel.
Having always been an outstanding performer since childhood, Jean was experiencing this for the first time, and her mood was inexplicably complex.
"Durandal? Why are you here?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice came, and Durandal turned around to see Lumine and Paimon walking towards her.
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